Railway-switch contact.



E. J. DUNNB. RAILWAY SWITCH CONTACT. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, l9l 0.

m m mm W mum Mm Ew m 2 5 m Q Q 9 n n mm v m ma n Q m wwm E. J. DUNNE.RAILWAY SWITCH CONTACT; 'APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 6. 1910.

Patented N0v 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. INVENTOR: Eflwgra J.

J M/WM Bulge; 7 c5 ATTORNEYS EDWARD J. 'IDUNNE, NEWARK, NEW. J ERSEY.

' RAILWAY-SWITCH conrrncr.

Specification of 1 Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1910. Serial No. 575,902.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

To altauhom it may concern: Be it known that I, EDWARD J. DUNNE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Xewark, in the county of EssexandState. of NeuyJersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway- Switoh Contacts; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as Will'enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same-,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The invention relates, generally, to improvements-in electric signalingor railway switch contacts; and, the invention has reftroman electriccircuit wire or lin erence more particularly, to that class of signalingor railway switch contactswhic'h are employed in electric systems andare used with electricallypropelled cars, ordinarily termedtrolley-cars, and in which a trolley-wheel is employed for makingelectrical contact in taking oii the electricity e and supplied to themotor of the car.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simplyconstructed electric signaling or railway switch-contact fortrolley-wires, which shall be very efiicient in its operation, and inwhich electrical contact is made by means of the groove of-atrolley-wheel carried by the car, instead of by means of the trolleywheel flanges, as heretofore, and an electric circuit is w h- .lishedthereby through a short circui"; for

I the tt'olley wheel since the lower'marginal edgesof' thecontact-members or flanges are made longer or shorter so as tocompensate toms viewof. the devices andin the same horizontal plane asthe trolley sented in saidaFigal wire, the trolley wire itself being"unbroken and raisedfrom the horizontal plane by being passed over thecontact.

The invention has for its furtherobject to provide'a construction whichis very simple, the parts being immovably connected, I

and all m'ade from theordinary commercial materials; and, a particularfeature is that the trolley wheel at all times, irrespective-of itsreduction in size due to the wear, opar ates upon the groove when makingcontact with the signalingdevice or switch-contact, so that theelectrical contact is always made by meansof the groove of the trolleywheel, instead of by means of its flanges; and,

finally, to provide a contact of the character hereinafter more fullyspecified which is made with a plurality of contact plates so as toadapt the device tovarious uses, the construction of the devices beingsuch thatthe contact plates or flanges may easily be for any car-speed.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularlyenumerated will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the present invention.

With the various'objects of the present. invention in view, the saidinvention consists, primarily, in the novel electric signaling orrailway switch contact hereinafter more particularly set forth; and, theinvention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements andcombinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction of the same, all of which will be fully described indetail in the following spcification,' and then finally embodied in theclauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essentialpart of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, inwhich:

Figure l is a side elevation of an-electnic' signaling or railwayswitchcontact embodying the features of-thepresent invention,

showing the same arrangedand secured in the electric circuit-wire orline-upon which 7 thetrolley-wheelofa car is adapted toarun' and makeelectrical contact; FigJ'Q :isza botparts: repre ;-and Fig: 3: isea averso vertical section, takentcnrtine said Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrow w, said View being made on an enlarged scale, andshowing in connection therewith, and in elevation, a portion of atrolley-wheel making electrical contact with. the signaling or railwayswitch contact. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a railway switch contactof a slightly modified form of construction, but still embodying theprinciples of the present invention; and Fig. is a bottom view of thesame.

' "for the arrangement therein of a bolt or pin wooden flanges. 'videdwith a centrally disposed and down- 4. The bolt is usually held in placeagainst displacement by means of a head, as 5, at the one end thereof,and a nut, as 6, upon the opposite and screw-threaded end-portion ofsaid bolt. Suitably mounted upon the said bolt or pin 4 is a frame-likestructure, as 7,

,which is of wood, and is formed with the right-angled flanges ordownwardly de encling sides 8 and 9, so as to provide a ramesubstantially of the cross-section shown in the drawings,

' A suitable covering, as-lO, usually of canvas, but which may be of anyother suitable material, and which extends down the sides of saidflanges 8 and ,9, as at 11 and 12, is arranged over said frame-likestructure 7. The depending side flanges 11 and 12 of the covering 10extend below the wooden flanges 8 and 9 to form longitudinal petticoatsto prevent moisture frdm reaching the The structure 7 is prowardlyprojecting and longitudinally extending member 13, also of wood or otheranalogous material, said member 13 rejecting downwardly to a greaterdepth t ian the flanges 8 and 9. Suitably secured to the said element ormember 7, at the one side of the said central member 13, is a long'andpreferably L-shaped contact-plate or bar 14, and suitably secured to thesaid element or member 7, and at the other sideof the said centralmember 13, are a number of L-shaped plates or bars, as 15, 16, 17, 18and 19, made of metal, said plates or bars being electrically outofcontact with each other, by the open spaces 20 intervening between theends of the respective plates or bars 15, 16, 17 18 and substantially asillustrated in the several figures of the drawings. As a furtherprecaution, suitable insulating material, as 21, may be placed betweenthe said element or member 7, the said central member 13, and the saidmetal plates or bars 14, and 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, as will be morefully understood from an inspection of Fig. 310i the drawings.

It will be noted that the angle-iron 14 on It will also be noted thatthe active In practice, a single gap of suliicient Width can not beused, as the gap would be so wide 'that the trolley-wheel would beknocked ofli when the Wheel jumped the gap, Furthermore, the arcing thatalways takes place when a circuit is broken would to some extent burnthe insulating material, thereby rendering it more susceptible to theabsorption of moisture and the short-circuiting of the gap, no matterwhat its length. (Jonsequently, for this electrical reason, I use aplurality of gaps, as shown at 20, and for mechanical reasons prefersuch a structure, so as to provide a substantial continuous bearing forthe trolley-wheel, to prevent it from being knocked ofl, and also toavoid the heavy hammer-blows of the trolleywheel against ,the ends ofthe angle-irons at the gaps.

As shown, the respective end-portions of the L-shapcd plate or bar'let,and the endplates 15 and 19 have arranged therebetwecn and suitablysecured in. place by means of pins, screws, or bolts, as 22, theseparating blocks 23, the upper surface-portions of said blocks 23tapering, as at 2-1. and substantially in the manner illustrated in:Figs. 1 and 4 oi the drawings. Suitably connected with the end-portionsof the said plate or bar 14,

and the two plates or bars 15 and 19, and preferably to the upperflanged portions of the said plates or bars, by means of perforated earsor lugs, as 25, and the bolts 26 and nuts 27, are suitableconnector-elements or members 28, ordinarily termedapproaehes,

each approach 28 being also formed with the inwardly extending shoes orprojections 29, said shoes or project-ions having their under surfaces30 tapering upwardly in a manner substantially as indicated in Figs. 1and 5' of the drawings. In this mannerthe various parts of the completeelectric signaling or railway switch contact is secured tothe continuoustrolley-wire, the said wire-leading in under the lower faces of thesaidapproaches 28 and then passing under the lower tapered surfaces ofthe previously mentioned separating blocks 23, and the upper taperedsurfaces 31 of the frame 7, the trolley-wire forming a bowed port-ion,as 32, which passes between the arms of the yoke-shaped hanger orsuspension device 2, substantially as illustrated in the several figuresof the drawings.

Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing description that with theherein-before described electric signaling or railway switch contact themain trolley-wire is at no time broken, so that an uninterrupted andcontinuous electric circuit is always maintained through the main line;and, as there are no soldered parts,,there can be no separation of, theparts due to the vibration to which the trolley-wire and the contactare'subjected. Suitably secured to one of the said short metal plates orbars, as 17, by means of screws 33,01 other suitable fastening means, isa leading-out or terminal-plate or mem ber 34, which is a good conductorof electricity,"said plate -or member 34 being formed with a U-shapedportion 35 which is provided with a terminal screw 36 for the attachmentthereto of a circuit-wire which leads: to the various and well-knownelectrical instrumentalities, not here shown, when the usualtrolley-wheel 38 makes a rolling contact with the plates or bars 14 and17, by means of its groove 39, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

From an inspection of the drawings, it will be seen that the long plateor bar 14 at the one side of the contact is at all times electrically incircuit with the main trolleywire, the electric current thereby beingconducted by means of the trolley-wheel to the motor carried by the car;but, that the short plates or bars are normally dead, except when thetrolley wheel is brought into rolling contact therewith. In that case,the short bar or plate is placed in circuit, and becomes live,thusestablishing an electric circuit through the terminal plate .ormember 34 and the circuit-wire 37 connected therewith i With the form ofcontact shown in Figs. '1' and 2 of the drawings, a single contact isproduced; the contact may be provided,

however, by means of a plurality of terminals, as shown in Figs. 4 and5, the .contact shown in said last-mentioned figures being provided withtwo terminals as 40 and 41, commonly termed as the off and on terminals,and in which construction, in lieu of the short metal plate or bar 17the con-' tact is provided with three short plates, as 42. 43 and 44,the terminal 40 being carried by the plate or bar 42, and the terminal41 being carried by theplate or bar 44.

As has beenstated, and as is shown in the several figures of thedrawings, I prefer to employ in connection with the devices, theauxiliary plates or bars 16 and 18, shown in said Figs. 1 and 2, or theauxiliary plate or bar 43 shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as thereby I guardagainst any possibility of the electric current passing from the block15 to the block 19, except by the wire 32, as by this means several openspaces or breaks are proided, which will preventa short-circuit, in aseany two of the spaces or breaks should become clogged with foreignmatter having properties of conducting the electric current from oneblock to another block, as will be clearly evident.

Of course I am aware that some changes may be made in the variousarrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as wellas in the details of the construction of the same, without departingfrom the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoingspecification, and as defined in the claims which are appended to thesaid specification. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exactarrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts asdescribed in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to theexact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. The combination with a trolley wire, of an insulating frame,a covering having sides depending below the sides of the frame to formpetticoats parallel with the wire, a continuous member secured to theframe and ccnductively connectedto said wire, a terminal element securedto said frame, gap members 1n alinement with said element to form aplurality of gaps at each end of said member, insulation between thecontinuous member and the terminal element and gap members, said membersand element forming petticoats depending below the insulation and whoselower edges are in alinementwith said wire and form a track for atrolley wheel, whereby current may be bridged by said wheel from thecontinuous member to the terminal member.

2. An electric contact comprising a framelike structure, said frame-likestructure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on a trolley-wire,and said frame-like structure comprising downwardly extending flangesand a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a longcontact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between itsdownwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrallydisposed member, said contact-making plate being normally in continuouselectrical circuit between the said downwardly extending flanges andupon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said shortcontact making plates being out of electrical circuit with saidtrolley-wire, said long contactmaking plate and said short contactmaking plates being provided with flanges with which the groove of atrolley-wheel is adapted to be brought into rolling contact.

3. An electric contact comprising a framelike structure, said frame-likestructure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on a trolley-wire,- and said frame like structure comprising downwardly extendingflangesand a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a longcontact making plate secured to said frame-like structure between itsdownwardly extending flanges and upon the one side oi said centrallydisposed member, said contact-making plate being normally in continuouselectrical circuit with the trolley wire, and a plurality of short anddisconnected contaet-inaking plates secured to said franie-like struc-'ture between the said downwardly extending flangesand upon the otherside of said centrally disposed member, said short contact-making platesbeing out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said longcontact-making plate and said short contactmaking plates being providedwith flanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel. is adapted to bebrought into rolling contact, and a terminal connected with one of saidshort contactmaking plates for the completion of an electric circuitwith other instrumentalities.

4. An electric contact comprising a framelilze structure, saidframe-like structure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on atrolley-wire, and said frame-like structure comprising dowmvardlyextending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extendingmember, a long contactmaking platesecured to said frame-like structurebetween its downwardly extending flanges and upon he one side of saidcentrally disposed member, said contact-anal:- ing plate being inn-mall;in continuous electrical circuit with the trolley wire, and a pluralityof short and e lisconmrted coutact-making plates secured to saidframelike structure between the said downwardly extending flanges andupon the other sid of said centrally disposed nuniher. said shortcontact-making plates being out of electrical circuit with saidtrolley-wire, said long i mg plates. and a. teruuual connected with ourof said short CO]1b2l(i'-lll2ll(lnfl plates for.

contactsnaking plate and said short contact making plates being providedwith [hinges with which the groove of a trollev- 5 wheel is adapted tobe brought into rolling" contact. and a terminal plate secured to one ofsaid short contact-making plates, suidj terminal plat-c ha a U hrpcdportion for the aitzwinuent aotaaiv substantially as and for thepurposes set forth. a r

5. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approachessecured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lowerupwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structugecomprising downwardlyextending flanges and, a corn trally disposed and downwardly extendingmember, a long. contact-making plate secured to said frame-likestructure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the oneside of said centrally disposed member, said long contact-making platebeing electrically connected at its ends with said approaches, aplurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured tosaid frainelike structure between the said downwardly extending flangesand upon the other side of said centrally disposed memher, said shortcontact-limiting plates being normally out of electrical circuit withsaid trolley-wire, said longcontactanaliing plate and said shortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which the grooveof a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought. in rolling contact, andseparatorblocks between said long contact-making plate and the short endcontact-making plates.

6. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approachessecured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lowerupwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structure comprising downwardlyextending flanges and a cen-. trally disposed and downwardly extendingmember, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structurebetween said downwardly extending flanges, and upon the one side of saidcentrally disposed member, said long contact-making plate be ingelectrically connected at its ends with said approaches, a plurality ofshort and disconnected contact-malring plates secured to said frame-likestructure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon theother side of said centrally disposed n'ien'lber, said shortcontactonalcing plates being normally out oi electrical circoil. withsaid lrolley wire, said long cont:u:t-u1ai;.iug plate and saidshortcontactiualting plates being provided with llanges with which the grooveof a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought in rolling contact,separator-blru-lts between said long cont-actmaltiug plate and the shortend contact-male r a :ir-ciu-wire thereto, i preach having a lowerupwardly tapering 13o surface, .a frame-like structure comprisingdownwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardlyextending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-likestructure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the oneside of said centrally disposed memher, said long contact-making platebeing electrically connect-ed at its ends with said approaches, ,aplurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured tosaid frame-like structure between the said downwardly extending flangesand upon-the other side of said centrally disposed member, saidshort'contact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuitwith said trolleywire, said long contact-making plate and said shortcontact-making plates being provided with flangeswith which the grooveof a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought in rolling contact,separator-blocks, between said long contact-making plate and the shortend-contact-making plates, a terminal plate secured to one of said shortcontact-making plates, said terminal plate having a U- shaped portion,and a terminal screw secured to said -U-shaped portion for theattachment of a circuit-wire thereto, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approachessecured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lowerupwardly tapering surface, a frame-like struct-urecomprising downwardlyextending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extendingmember, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structurebetween said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of saidcentrally disposed memher, said long contact-making plate beingelectrically connected at--'its ends with said approaches, a pluralityof short and disconnected contactmaking plates secured to saidframe-like structure between the said down-. wardly extending flangesand upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said shortcontact-making platesbeing normally out of electrical, circuit with,saidtrolleywire, said long contact-making plate and saidshortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which thegroove ofa trolley-wheel. is adapted to be brought in rolling contact,separator-blocks between said long contact-making plates and the shortendcontact-making plates, a trolley hangerfor the suspension of saidframe-like structure, and a covering upon said frame, said frame havingthe upper surfaces of its end-portions made tapering and over which thetrolley-wire passes and is bowed, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

9. The combination of'a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approachessecured to the wire, a

each apmember, a long contact-making plate se cured to said frame-likestructure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the oneside of said cent-rally disposed member, said long contact-making platebeing electrically connected at its ends with said connector-elements, aplurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured Y tosaid framelike structure between the said downwardly extending flangesand upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said shortcontact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuit with saidtrolley-wire, said long contact-making plate and saidshortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which thegroove of a trolley-wheel is adapted in rolling contact,separator-blocks between said long contact-making plate and the shortend contact-making plates. a trolley-hanger for the suspension of saidframe-like struc ture, and a covering upon said frame, said frame havingthe upper surfaces of its endportions made tapering and over which thetrolley-wirepassed and is bowed, and a terminal connected with one ofsaid short contact-making plates for the vcompletion of an electriccircuit with other instrumentalities.

10. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair ofapproaches secured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approachhaving a lower upwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structurecomprising downwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed anddownwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to saidframe-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and uponthe one side of said centrally disposed memher, said long contact-makingplate being electrically connected at its ends with said approaches. aplurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured tosaid frame-like structure between the said downwardly extendingv flangesand upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said shortcontact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuit with saidtrolley-wire, said long contact=making plate and said shortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which. the grooveof a trolley-wheel is, adaptedto be brought 'in rolling contact,separatorblocks between said long contact-making plate and the short\end-contact-making plates, a trolley-hanger for .the suspension of saidframe-like structuregxand a covering upon said frame, said frame havingthe upper surfaces of itsend-portions made tapering and over which thetrolley-wire passes and'isbowed,a terminal plate secured set forth aboveI hav hereunto sst'my hand tn t me of said shnrt cbntact-making plates,said terminal plate having a U-shaped porthis 25th day of July, 1910.

tion, and a terminal screw'secure'd to said U-shaped portion'fnr the'zittachment of :L EDWARD circuit-wire thereto, substantially as and forWitnesses: the purposes set forth v FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL,

YFREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

In testimqny, that l'c'ltiim the invention ained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

aegis of this patent may be obt

